We were in Cancun earlier this year for the boys' Winter Break. One day we made a day trip to a tiny island called Isla Mujeres where the main mode of transporation is a golf cart! We had a ball driving around and the kids thought it was the coolest thing!

Check out today's blog post for 3 more designs based on the sketch and play along for a chance to win a BasicGrey collection pack of your choice!

June of last year I made a big decision to leave a full time job at BasicGrey to jump back into the world of software - what I did before I started working full time in the scrapbook industry back in 2006 for Scenic Route.

Since then I've continued to do freelance work for BasicGrey - designing classes for their Page of the Month and Card of the Month program, designing layouts and projects for trade shows, etc.

So I was super excited when they asked me to join their brand new design team earlier this month!!

This is Jack. You know, my handsome (yes, I think so!) 13 year old . The one that's already 6 feet tall and still growing. The one that is so much like me that we're like oil and water most of the time ;)

Couldn't be more proud of him lately!

Spring of last year he decided he wanted to play football. Tackle football. Never you mind that he had never played before and that most kids start when they're 8 or 9.

That didn't stop him, no siree bob.

He played last year and his team took the championships for his age group. And he loved it. He grew so much last year through football - really emerged from his shell, gained more confidence, more strength, learned more about who he was.

This year he was as determined as ever to play again. But this year he had his heart (and mind) set on making the A team. He worked with a trainer all summer long before tryouts started. And he gave every workout his all, no matter how hot it was, no matter how tired he was, no matter how much he wanted to kick back and enjoy his summer.

And you know what, he did make the A team.

And he's been thrilled with every single second so far. But it's been a bit of a change for him this year. Last year his team was good. He always started the games. But this year his team is better. He doesn't start the games. There are kids that are better than him playing on the offensive line.

That didn't stop him, no siree bob.

He's played with all of his heart in practices and in their first 2 games so far. And he's played well. He's played on offense and defense. He helps his team when they need him. He substitutes in when his teammates need rest. And no matter how tired he is at the end of practice and how pummeled he gets during practices and games, he gives it his all.

And he doesn't get discouraged.

And wouldn't you know it - after last Saturday's game, his coaches awarded him 'lineman of the game' - for always having such a positive attitude, for doing whatever they ask of him and for playing his little big heart out. He had an awesome play during the game, tackled the other team's running back and prevented a significant play from playing out.

Like I said, couldn't be more proud of this guy. Proud for seeing him set his sights on something he wanted more than anything and doing everything in his power to make it happen. All at the weee age of 13...

It's tough when football season arrives. Both boys are knee deep in football. That means 6 days a week for us. Long days leaving the house at 7:30 for work and school. Long days of taking them to practice at 5 for 2 hours. Getting home at 8, all of us exhausted. Making dinner, fitting homework in and then starting the next day all over again. I'm the team mom on Jack's team and it's a lot of work. If your kids are in sports and they have a team mom, thank them. Seriously. It seems like a thankless job a lot of the time, but it's worth it. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I love how the boys are both so committed to this. And as a result, Nick and I are too. We're there right there with them, every step, every play. I wouldn't trade these days, this time of their lives, for anything. So thankful to be able to be so involved with them and something they truly love.

Any Goonight Moon fans out there (or maybe I should say parents of fans)? I remember it well. I'm sure I had it memorized at some point. In fact, if pressed, I could probably recite it word for word even now. Jack loved it THAT much when he was little. Loved it as in we read it over and over and OVER when he was a baby. Know what I mean?!

On Sunday Jack brought the Sunday paper in to show me this comic -

Do you know the story? If so, is that not one of the funniest things you've ever seen?!

Quiet day in my house today, Nick took the kids fishing so I have the house to myself to get busy! Working on instructions and doing some prep kit work for my class at Inspiration Unlimited in a few weeks.

Wanted to share the class description and a few sneak peeks of my class.

Observations

Ob·ser·va·tion - [ob-zur-vey-shuhn] noun - an act or instance of noticing or perceiving.

No matter who you are, what you do, or how you spend your days, we’re all the same when it comes to making observations. It’s so innate that you do it when you don’t even realize you’re doing it! Driving down the street, watching tv, passing someone in the mall, you’re constantly observing - anything, everything, and everyone around you.

Join me in this fun-filled layout class using Pink Paislee’s brand new Nantucket line as we use observations as our 'jumping off' point for approaching your photos, titles, and journaling in a whole new light!

To say I'm excited and honored to be teaching at this super event again would be an understatement. It's such a great event, hard to believe this will be year #4! I'm so looking forward to it, to seeing some great friends, meeting some new ones and immersing myself in lots of creativity and fun teaching again!

Ahh, December Daily! So excited to participate again this year. Hard to believe this is year number 4 for me. I've really enjoyed looking back at the past 3 years books to get motivated to jump in again this year!

2010 December Daily Mini Book
On Day 2 of this year's book, Jack, my 13 year old son, said to me "I'm glad you're making one of those books again this year mom, they're really cool". Makes it totally worth it when all is said and done!

A super fun, easy & creative challenge I'm participating in called Listers Gotta List, brainchild of Cori, The Reset Girl. Get all of the details on http://listersgottalist.com. Follow me on instagram - @laylekoncar - to see my daily lists as I complete them!